HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata men's volleyball team swept aside visiting Penn State Altoona, 3-0 (25-18, 25-19, 25-20), Saturday afternoon inside Memorial Gymnasium to move to 13-6 heading into spring break.
Early in set one, leading 6-4, two Kevin Duffy (Carlisle, Pa. / Carlisle HS) kills along with an attack error made pushed the lead to five. But the Lions came right back to get within one, 10-9, before kills from Will Phelan (Saegertown, Pa. / Saegertown H.S.), David Hibner (Burke, Va. / Lake Braddock Secondary), Dylan Flor (Quakertown, Pa. / Quakertown) and a block by Flor and Hibner pushed the advantage back to five. The Eagles keep PSU-Altoona at arm's length the rest of the set, with a kill from Hibner advancing Juniata to set point and winning on a Lion attack error.
Set two saw PSU-Altoona lead for some of the set, as late as 16-18. Two kills from Joe Fick (Venetia, Pa. / Peters Township) and a block by him and Duffy made it 19-18 while forcing a PSU-Altoona timeout, but it was to no avail. The visitors committed an error, Drew Hunker and Duffy combined for a block before Duffy teamed with Fick for another to make it 22-18. PSU-Altoona took the next point, but the Eagles closed the set out with a Duffy solo block, a Lion attack error and an ace from Fick to take set two.
Juniata hit .300 while putting down 19 kills to take set three, 25-20. The Lions put together a late 6-1 run to get within three at 22-19, but two big kills from Hibner pushed Juniata to set point. A service error gave the Lions some life, but Flor's kill ended the match.
Juniata will host Immaculata in CVC action, Tuesday the 17th at 7:00.